Under the same sun. Cuando el maíz nos unió

Abstract

This research explores the intersection of food, diaspora, and scenography through the lens of maize-based culinary traditions among Latin American migrants in Switzerland. By examining how food serves as a medium for cultural memory, identity preservation, and community-building, the study investigates the emotional and spatial dimensions of diasporic food practices. Employing interdisciplinary methodologies, including life history narratives, kitchen table ethnography, visual anthropology, and participant observation, the research captures the embodied knowledge and sensory experiences embedded in cooking and eating rituals. Central to this inquiry is the role of maize as both a sacred cultural symbol and a versatile ingredient that bridges Latin American and Swiss culinary traditions. Through personal testimonies, the study highlights how migrants adapt traditional dishes like arepas, tamales, and polenta using local ingredients, transforming them into acts of resilience and belonging. Additionally, the project integrates scenography as a tool for spatial storytelling, designing immersive dining environments that evoke memory, heritage, and collective identity. The Master's thesis "Under the Same Sun: Cuando el maíz nos unió", serves as a participatory installation that materializes these themes, using organic materials like maize husks and corn-based ceramics to create a multisensory experience. By merging food design, ethnography, and performance, this research demonstrates how culinary traditions can foster dialogue across cultures, offering new ways to understand migration, adaptation, and the enduring power of food as a living archive of diasporic identity.